I wish you a safe and healthy New Year.
In January 2025, we changed how we approve suspensions and resignations. Taken from the Constitution, Article XVIII, Section 13. Members: The Division President may suspend a member of any Division who fails to pay his dues, fines, or assessments for three months, and he shall be duly notified by the Financial Secretary of his indebtedness in writing and asked to appear at the next regular meeting to pay the same.
On his failure to appear, the President of the Division shall appoint a committee of at least two members to personally contact the member to try to reclaim him if possible. After these two steps have been taken, suspension will be made if carried by a motion at a regular meeting. A member suspended under this section who fails to apply for reinstatement within the prescribed time shall not be admitted to membership in any other division until he pays the amount due to the Division from which he was suspended.
When a member is in arrears nine (9) months he is dropped automatically from the Division at the close of the meeting on which the ninth month expires.
Each Division should set a “Dues date” within the first 3 months of the year. If after that date and within three months of that date, you have not collected the dues, and you have exhausted all measures to get in touch with the member, then you can go through the process laid out in the Constitution.
Deputy Secretary Greg Sean Canning and I are here to give guidance and assistance, but the responsibility falls on the Division to follow how a suspension is laid out in the Constitution. One thing I ask BEFORE you request a member be suspended for nonpayment of dues is to make a copy of your roster, so you have their information. When a suspension request is approved, you lose their information and cannot do your Constitutional due diligence to reclaim them.
It is always good practice to keep your roster up to date rather than waiting until year-end to make the adjustments. Specifically, you should update your officers immediately after an election and not wait until the end of the year. We have a Roster management guide. If you need one, let me know.
Things to keep in mind:
- The CURRENT division President and Financial Secretary must have an email address and Phone number listed on the Form 9 online. This is a requirement of the position.
- Remember that when communicating with this office you should always provide your division number. We have everything filed by number and not division name so providing the division number will facilitate our ability to help you quickly.
- It is always preferable to email us rather than call as this will result in a quicker response.
- If you require supplies, medallions, or forms please go to AOH.com and download the order form.
- Complete and forward your check to the National Office at PO Box 1742, Jensen Beach FL 34958.
- Reinstatements can use their original membership number if it is still in the system. Years ago, there was a practice of expunging the numbers, and many records are simply gone. If not available, the reinstatement will be assigned the next available number for the division.
- New cards will be printed if essential information is changed, transfers, Veteran status, and Degree dates. A change of address will not generate a new card, just make sure the Financial Secretary is aware so your Hibernian Digest will be forwarded to you.
